Adult Sexuality

Question 1

Singles

Answer 1

• Late 20s & early 30s single group — more than doubled since 1970s
• Later marriage, more education years, less stigma to being single, female careers
• Many have serial monogamy, but range from celibate to swingers
• Less committed than married couples
• Cohabiters who marry more likely to divorce as more independent, less traditional people

Question 2

Singles: POSSLQ

Answer 2

people opposite sex sharing living quarters — doubled 1980-92

Question 3

Singles: Approximately: __% never married, __% divorced

Answer 3

50%, 30%

60-70% of divorced below 35 years but greatest increase since 1980 is in over 35 year group

Question 4

Historically Patriarchal

Answer 4

gives sanction to relation maintenance of home, child rearing & support, transition of inheritance

Question 5

Arranged Marriage

Answer 5

in many cultures choice of appropriate partner governed by the culture, family selects & often when child is still young.

Question 6

Free choice in Marriage

Answer 6

usually choose partner similar to self in ethnicity, religion, age, size, interests — Homogomy

Question 7

Mating Gradient

Answer 7

trend for some women to marry up economically and men to marry down

Question 8

Current Patterns in USA on Marriage

Answer 8

• 65% adult men & 60% adult women are married
• Age of 1st marriage up 3 years from 1975 — 26.5 yrs Men & 24.4 yrs Women
• 50% of marriages end in divorce

Question 9

Current Patterns in Canada

Answer 9

• Number of marriages down by 24% since 1972
• Age of 1st marriage up from 1972 — 30.8 yrs Men & 28.5 yrs Women
• 33% marriages end in divorce
• Divorce rate in Canada was very rare before 1960 and tripled from 1960 to 1970

Question 10

Marital Sexuality:

Answer 10

Kinsey (1950s), Hunt (1970s), NHSLS (1990s)

- changes in society affected marital sexuality as well as sexuality of young singles

Question 11

Societal Changes when comes to marriage

Answer 11

• reduced male dominant role
• media (including explicit) more influence, and greater availability
• scientific findings made public
• contraceptive technology

Question 12

Marital Sexual Changes

Answer 12

• increase time in foreplay & frequency of sex (7x a month)
• greater variety of positions in intercourse & of behaviours, e.g. Oral Sex
• longer duration in lovemaking — thanks to women
• still decrease in frequency over time related to aging and time in marriage

Question 13

Homogamy

Answer 13

tend to choose partner similar to self — ethnicity, age, size, interests

Question 14

Conventional Adultery

Answer 14

not known to partner ranges from once to many years

– more emotional adultery

Question 15

Consensual Adultery

Answer 15

• know to partner

- most still disapprove & men are more accepting and higher incidence than women

Question 16

Swinging

Answer 16

both partners openly involved with other — white, affluent, well educated

• avoid emotional connection with others as this threatens primary relationship
• males initiate the swinging, male usually feels threaten

Question 17

Open Marriage

Answer 17

either partner may have relationship outside marriage

Question 18

Group Marriage

Answer 18

three or more share intimate relationship although cannot be legally married and more committed than swingers.

Question 19

Divorce

Answer 19

30-50% marriages end in divorce — men are more likely to remarry

• Factors: No fault divorce, improved economics for women social acceptance
• Most Common Reason: poor communication and lack of understanding
• High Costs: emotional & financial and children

Question 20

Sexuality & Aging: General Issues

Answer 20

body image, self esteem, family/public attitudes

Question 21

Choices of Sexual Behaviours

Answer 21

opportunity for privacy, positions for sexual intercourse and other sexual behaviours, intellectual abilities, availability of partner(s)

Question 22

Reproduction and Sexual Responses

Answer 22

fertility, arousal, orgasm, ejaculation

Question 23

Common Myths about Sexuality Related to the Aged Population

Answer 23

1. Sexuality is the province of the young
2. Sexual interest and activity declines rapidly with age
3. Older bodies are not sexually attractive
4. Sexuality activity for elderly people is inappropriate and even ridiculous
5. Older people do not have sexual thoughts and desires
6. Older people go into relationships for companionships only
7. The only true and acceptable means of sex is through intercourse

Question 24

Biological Aging Varies

Answer 24

persons of same age can appear to be 20 years apart in age.

- diet, lifestyle, substance abuse etc. have significant effect

Question 25

Sexual Response Cycle Slower

Answer 25

may increase pleasure in less hurried sexual activity, but may also be of concern and result in impotence in males and painful intercourse in females

Question 26

Attitudes of Selves and Others

Answer 26

may lead to reduction in sexual activity — i.e., not expected to be sexual.
- conversely sexual activity may increase as pregnancy is no longer possible

Question 27

More Women than Men Widowed

Answer 27

often seen as threat to married friends and rejected in old social circle — both widows and widowers have difficulties dating in a changed social environment

Question 28

Age-Related Physiological Changes & Sexual Response: Male

Answer 28

1. Erection is slower, less full; disappears quickly after orgasm and has a longer refractory period often 12-24 hours after ejaculation to achieve erection again
2. Decrease in muscle tone
3. Testicles do not achieve full elevation and do not increase in size
4. Decreased volume of sperm; although fertility level is decreased, men do not become sterile
5. Ejaculation is less powerful and orgasm is often less intense
6. Gradual decline in testosterone from 20-60 years of age
7. Urgency of sexual desire decreases
8. More control of orgasm — can lead to increase in sexual pleasure or to concern and impotence
9. Job pressures usually greatest at this time and may affect relationships
10. Increase in weight may affect sexual function physically or because of lowered self-esteem

Question 29

Annika

Answer 29

• estrogen & progesterone decreased
• periods less frequent, differences in blood flow; may not cease completely for several years
• sometimes headaches, insomnia, dizziness, irritability & weight gain
• night sweats and hot flushes

Question 30

Female Physiological Changes and Sexual Response

Answer 30

• decrease in rate and amount of vaginal lubrication may lead to painful intercourse
• orgasmic changes include a decrease in the number of involuntary contractions by 50% and an acceleration of return to pre-aroused state.
• structural changes or atrophy of the labia, uterus, and a reduction in the expansion of the vagina width
• thinning of the lining of the vagina reduced elasticity etc… that can result in irritation and painful intercourse

Question 31

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Answer 31

• became popular in 1960s and initially only given estrogen but it was found to increase chance of uterine cancer
• given with progestin then lessens chance of cancer
• increased use of HRT in >80s
• Recent studies — greater risks of Heart Disease, Breast Cancer, Stroke, Blood Clots, Dementia
• New guidelines in place 5 years max, use of alternative homeopathic or prescription meds (effexor, Clondine, paxil)
• topical creams